Mustache-guard



(No Model.)

' W. T. IAMS.

MUSTAGHE GUARD.

No. 600,152. Patented MarLB 1898;

lNVENTOH UNITED STATES PATENT OEFIcE.

WILLIAM T. IAMS, OF KEY, OHIO.

MUSTACHE-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,152, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed July 22, 1897. Serial No. 645,572. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. IAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Key, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mustache-Guards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a guard that may be readily and securely attached to a cup or glass, that may be easily detached, that may be folded into a compact form, and that may be easily and thoroughly washed, that may be taken apart in a moment, and that may be very inexpensive.

Figure l is a plan View of a cup provided with my devices. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the devices folded. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one of the clips detached.

In the figures, A represents a guard-plate, of ivory, bone, celluloid, porcelain, or other suitable material, having the usual form or the form of that portion of a mustache-cup that distinguishes it from other cups. This plate is provided with two small perforations,

one near each end, and in each is inserted a spring-clip B, which may be made, as shown, of a single spring-wire having at least its surface of silver, gold, or other metal not readily corroded.

Each clip is in general form a downwardlyopen loop having branches of nearly equal length, one of which is bent slightly outward near the end to facilitate passing it over the edge of a cup, the Wall of which is to be clamped firmly between the two branches. The loop is widest near its upper end, and at some distance below the highest point that branch which is to lie within the cup is bent abruptly toward the other branch and then turned sharply downward. The distance between the two bends just mentioned is a little greater than the thickness of the plate A, and at about the same distance below the last bend an arm O projects horizontally inward from this branch. If, now, the plate A be held in its normal position and if the outer end of the clip be inserted from below in one of the holes therein and pushed onward while swinging the clip to allow the bends to pass freely, the clip may be quickly brought to the position shown in Fig. 1, where the plate rests upon the arm O and between that arm and the approximately parallel portion D just above it. Both the clips being thus inserted, they may be pushed over the edge of a cup, their branches springing apart until the plate is in proper position, as in Fig. l, and because the clips cannot now swing nor rotate the plate is held with all desirable rigidity. Obviously the whole structure may be instantly removed from the cup, and when detached the withdrawal of the clips from the plate is as simple as their insertion but although detaching the clips when the device is not in use avoids having a plate with arms projecting therefrom at right angles, which is often very inconvenient, it is not satisfactory to have three disconnected parts. In fact the construction set forth avoids both evils, for if one bend only of this clip be passed through the plate, as in withdrawing the clip, the inner branch lies alongside the plate instead of perpendicular thereto, and if both clips be so adjusted both outer arms may then beswung inward, and, by slightly springing, then brought to the position of Fig. 3, where all the parts are held in approximately the same plane by the elasticity of the wires.

What I claim is 1. The combination with the perforated guard-plate, of independent, removable, approximately U-shaped, spring-clips passed through the perforations respectively, and each provided with a rigid plate-supporting arm projecting from its inner branch.

2. The combination with the perforated guard plate, of the independent, approximately U shaped, clips each having its inner branch lying loosely in one of the perforations and provided, just below the plate, with a rigid arm projecting perpendicularly and just above the plate with a horizontal bend approximately eqnal in length to the plates thickness, substantially as set forth.

3. The clip of general U shape having one branch bent twice at right angles and provided with a rigid perpendicular arm, a little below both bends, projecting away from the second branch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. IAMS.

Witnesses:

W. V. MELLOTT, ROBERT McELRoY. 

